Interactive Map: The Travels Of The Connecticut Insurance Commissioner

State Insurance Commissioner Thomas B. Leonardi has taken more than 115 trips over the past three years, many out of the country, to speak at conferences and attend seminars, a review of records filed with the insurance department and state ethics commission reveals.

Records filed with ethics officials show Leonardi has taken twice as many trips paid for by an outside entity as any other state employee.

State workers are required to report all travel expenses covered by private entities, as part of a law that prohibits the acceptance of speaking fees and gifts.

In some cases, the commissioner spent nearly entire months out of his office. Of the 20 work days in June 2013, for instance, Leonardi spent 17 away. His schedule that month included trips to Washington D.C., Rome, Zurich and Seoul. Leonardi also spent the most of September 2013 on the road. Out of 20 potential work days that month he was out of state on 12 including four days in Bermuda and London. A month later, Leonardi was in Taipei for 10 days.

In 2012 and 2013, he also took trips to Amsterdam, Geneva, Frankfort, Vienna and the Virgin Islands, among other destinations.

He acknowledges that running a state department halfway around the world is difficult but said he has a superb staff that runs things when he is away. Leonardi said he spends hours in his hotel room responding to e-mails and returning calls when necessary.